Archive · 7 Aug 2026
Tamil Nadu Files Review Petition Against Western Ghats Eviction Order
In southern India, there is a big, green mountain range called the Western Ghats.
It is full of forests where many families live and grow food.
These families have been living there for more than a hundred years.
Recently, the highest court in India said these families must leave their homes.
The government of Tamil Nadu thinks that is not fair and wants to help.
So it has asked the court to look at its decision again.
Until the court makes a new choice, nobody will be forced to leave.
The government also helps farmers in other ways, like paying back some of their loans and giving money for weddings.
It is also giving people more days of work in villages.
The government says it will keep taking care of the families and their rights.
Tamil Nadu will file a review petition in the Supreme Court against its order directing the eviction of over 15,000 families from Western Ghats forest areas.
Minister for Electricity and Law C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar said the government will not undertake any eviction until the review petition is heard.
The minister said the affected families have been living in the forest areas as farmers for over a century.
Tamil Nadu has also filed two petitions in the Supreme Court over the Cauvery dispute, including one against Karnataka's proposed Mekedatu dam project.
The government has waived farm loans up to ₹75,000, benefiting more than 14 lakh farmers at a cost of around ₹5,600 crore.
- Who
- Minister for Electricity and Law C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar, speaking for the Tamil Nadu government; Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay was mentioned regarding upcoming decisions on paddy and sugarcane support prices.
- What
- Filing a review petition in the Supreme Court against its order directing the eviction of over 15,000 families from Western Ghats forest areas; no eviction will be undertaken until the petition is heard.
- When
- Thursday, with the review petition to be filed within a few days.
- Where
- Announced at the Secretariat in Chennai; the eviction order concerns forest areas in Theni and several other districts of Tamil Nadu.
- Why
- To protect the rights of families who have lived and farmed in the forest areas for over a century.
Tamil Nadu Government
Supreme Court, Opposition, and Karnataka
Western Ghats Eviction
Tamil Nadu Government
Families have lived and farmed in the forest areas for over a century; the government will seek a review and carry out no evictions until it is heard.
Supreme Court, Opposition, and Karnataka
The Supreme Court ordered the eviction of over 15,000 families residing in the Western Ghats forest areas.
State Budget
Tamil Nadu Government
The revised budget addresses people's immediate needs despite financial constraints and continues welfare schemes such as gold marriage assistance and the rural employment guarantee programme.
Supreme Court, Opposition, and Karnataka
The Opposition criticized the state budget and alleged that ministers were excessively praising the Chief Minister in the Assembly.
Cauvery Water Dispute
Tamil Nadu Government
Tamil Nadu is pursuing every legal avenue to safeguard its water rights, opposing Karnataka's proposed Mekedatu dam and the Union government's river basin guidelines.
Supreme Court, Opposition, and Karnataka
Karnataka has proposed the Mekedatu dam project, which Tamil Nadu says threatens its water rights, and the Union government has issued guidelines for river basin projects; Tamil Nadu also alleges Karnataka has failed to release Cauvery water.
- State
- Tamil Nadu
- Announced by
- Electricity and Law Minister C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar
- Legal action
- Review petition in the Supreme Court against Western Ghats eviction order
- Affected families
- Over 15,000 living in forest areas
- Affected areas
- Theni and several other districts
- Eviction status
- No evictions until the review petition is heard
- Rural employment guarantee
- Extended from 125 to 150 days
- Farm loan waiver
- Loans up to ₹75,000 waived; over 14 lakh farmers; around ₹5,600 crore